What You Need To Know About Ectopic Pregnancy

An ectopic pregnancy is one of the saddest things that can happen during pregnancy. It is a pregnancy that is implanted outside the uterus. Typically, pregnancies develop in the pelvic or abdominal region. The most common type of ectopic pregnancy is tubal pregnancy, which means that the pregnancy is in the fallopian tubes.

What happens in an ectopic pregnancy is that the fetus produces enzymes that allow it to implant on various types of tissues, allowing it to be attached elsewhere other than the uterus. This type of pregnancy is particularly dangerous because it can damage internal tissues in the effort of the fetus to reach sufficient blood supply. This condition is what makes an ectopic pregnancy extremely dangerous. When this is the case, there is a need to terminate the pregnancy in order not to place the woman at a greater risk.

What Are the Causes of Ectopic Pregnancy?

There are various factors that cause ectopic pregnancy. One of these is an advanced age for pregnancy. It is noted that most women who experience ectopic pregnancy are those who conceive during their 40s. Other than advanced age, the following are the other factors that contribute to the occurrence of ectopic pregnancy:

a) Inflammatory diseases in the pelvic region. This is because a disease in the pelvic region can cause scarring of the tissues there.
b) Infertility
C) Use of IUD or intrauterine device
d) Those who has undergone tubal surgery
e) Smoking
f) Previous experience of ectopic pregnancy
g) Those who underwent tubal ligation

What Are the Symptoms of Ectopic Pregnancy?

During the early stage of ectopic pregnancy, the symptoms may be subtle or difficult to detect. Moreover, because this is the early phase of pregnancy, some symptoms may be easily confused with other disorders. This is why it is always important to watch out for any symptoms that a pregnant woman may feel.

The symptoms of ectopic pregnancy include the following:

a) Painful urination
b) Pain in the lower abdomen area
C) Vaginal bleeding. This is due to the falling level of progesterone, which may cause withdrawal bleeding
d) Pain during bowel movement
e) Shoulder pain
f) A woman may feel cramping or tenderness on either side of the pelvis

How You Should Handle Ectopic Pregnancy

Detecting ectopic pregnancy early is a very critical factor in making sure that the mothers life will be saved. This is why soon-to-be mothers need to have a regular prenatal checkup to know the state of your pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy puts severe risk on the womans life. Because of the nature of the pregnancy, such condition is referred to as a medical necessity, which requires immediate termination of the pregnancy. Termination of the pregnancy must be done sooner to prevent possible internal bleeding that may result to shock. However, for those who have access to proper medical facilities, the chances of internal bleeding and death resulting from it is greatly reduced. But all of it depends on early detection of the condition.